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Actor and director Brandon J. Dirden says art is about problem solving

Christina Acosta Robinson and Heather Alicia Simms in a scene from Eden, a play by Steve Carter, directed by Brandon J. Dirden. Yale Repertory Theatre, January 16-February 8, 2025.
Joan Marcus.
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Yale Repertory Theatre
Christina Acosta Robinson and Heather Alicia Simms in a scene from Eden, a play by Steve Carter, directed by Brandon J. Dirden. Yale Repertory Theatre, January 16-February 8, 2025.

Brandon J. Dirden is an actor and director who has appeared in TV shows like The Americans and plays like the Tony Award-winning All The Way (he played Martin Luther King Jr. alongside Bryan Cranston as Lyndon B. Johnson).

He's also a director — most recently of Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Eden. The play takes place in 1920s Manhattan. It focuses on two families living in the same apartment building. Eustace Baylor comes from the south and falls in love with Anetta Barton. Anetta’s family is from the West Indies. Her father, Joseph, does not approve of Eustace.

This hour, we talk to Brandon about the complex racial dynamics in Eden and the power of theater.

GUEST:

  • Brandon J. Dirden: actor, director and Associate Arts Professor in the Graduate Acting Department at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He directed Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Eden, which runs until February 8th.

You can learn more about Yale Repertory Theatre's production of Eden on their website.

Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Kevin Chang Barnum is a producer for Connecticut Public Radio’s weekly show Disrupted. Kevin grew up in Connecticut and started his radio work at his graduate university’s radio station, KUCI. He has also worked for HRN, a network of food and beverage podcasts.
Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean is an award-winning scholar at Wesleyan University, author, and host of 'Disrupted' on Connecticut Public.
Robyn Doyon-Aitken is the Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows
Meg Dalton is the director of audio storytelling and talk shows for Connecticut Public where she oversees the station’s talk shows and podcasts, including the limited series 'In Absentia'.
Meg Fitzgerald is the senior manager of projects and radio programming.

Funding provided by:
The Connecticut Office of Film, Television and Digital Media

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